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[Missha] Aqua Peptide Custom Skin Care Toner Review

My lovely beauties! After using it for 5 months, I thought that it’s high time I introduced you to my most recent toner- Missha Aqua Peptide Custom Skin Care Toner, found on RoseRoseShop during one of my sale fevers. Here we go then!

About the product

So. The packaging doesn’t say much about the toner, at least not in English. T^T Nor does the website where I got it from (RoseRoseShop). But what it does say, reads as the following:

This refreshing toner helps balance and prepare the skin for skincare steps that follow. Dermatologically tested.

And that’s it. That’s all that is in English on the packaging and the website. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ There’s not much in terms of claims and therefore there’s also not much to expect from the toner. Just that it is supposed to balance the skin and prepare it for the skincare steps that follow. Let’s jump to the product itself then and let’s have a closer look at its ingredients list and texture.

Before I bought this Missha toner, I made sure I had a proper look at the ingredients list to avoid disappointment. In the past I ditched the toner step in my routine as toners used to dry my already dry skin so much that I didn’t see any point in continuing with a step that only deteriorates the condition of my skin. However, one day I was browsing sale items on RoseRoseShop and I came across Missha Aqua Peptide Custom Skin Care Toner and because it was quite cheap, I had a closer look at it. When I saw how many skin-beneficial ingredients it has, I knew I had to buy it. And so I did.

It’s got 11 botanical extracts, Centella Asiatica Extract being among them (a very potent antioxidant source that promotes skin healing, including mitigating some visible effects of sun damage), 5 types of Hyaluronic Acid which is a great humectant and a wonderful hydrating ingredient (and because there are 5 types of it, there’s a higher likelihood of its thorough penetration to the skin and therefore it working wonders) and loooooads of peptides (10 of them! Crazy!). And, ladies and gentleman, this is just a toner. JUST a toner, a toner that is to balance the skin and prepare it for more concentrated doses of skin-enhancing ingredients contained in serums, ampoules, lotions, etc. Apart from botanical extracts, Hyaluronic Acid and Peptides, there are also other star ingredients such as Schizosaccharomyces Ferment Filtrate (brings suppleness and softness to the skin), Beta-Glucan (soothes the skin) and Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate (God, the name is a little tongue twister but it’s been shown to boost the skin’s production of HA that decreases with age, so it’s a no joke).

Although back then, when I was buying this Missha toner, I wrongly thought that the first ingredients on the list are in the highest concentration, I still think that it is a product with an impressive ingredients list. It’s quite long for a toner and a huge majority of the ingredients is super safer for the skin and extremely beneficial- not only because it’s got loads of good ingredients but, as mentioned, there are also a few types of certain ingredients (Hyaluronic Acid and Peptides) making your skin covered. 👍

According to CosDna, all ingredients are safe (with the exception of Fragrance) and only two ingredients might potentially cause any irritation/acne (Butylene Glycol Sorbitan Laurate) but they both have a very low irritation/acne rating (just 1) and although I have a sensitive skin, the toner has never broken me out, despite using it for 5 months. Also, on a side note, for people prone to fungal acne, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate might trigger it, according to Skincarisma, so just a word of caution.

In terms of texture, the Missha toner is just like water in consistency and absorbs SUPER fast. Like, very VERY fast. I always have to apply it on my face quickly before it absorbs into my hand’s skin (I don’t use cotton pads as they irritate my skin- I prefer applying it with my bare hands). Upon application, it doesn’t leave any stickiness but makes the skin look plumper and more bouncy. However, it’s not moisturizing enough so it’s important to follow up with other skincare steps to ensure proper moisturization as the toner only hydrates.

My thoughts

I need to admit that- after years of disliking and not using toners, I got to like this one quite a lot. It’s got an amazing ingredients list which is very clean and safe. As already mentioned, it has never broken me out nor caused any other skin issues (which my sensitive skin is very grateful for). It’s got great hydrating properties as it’s always left my skin bouncy and plump straight after application and the results have always been visible the next morning as well. It hasn’t made my skin feel sticky or heavy so I can always proceed with my skincare routine without any concerns and, because it absorbs so fast, I’ve never had to wait God knows how long before applying my FROM NATURE Age Intense Treatment Essence. It also certainly balances the skin and prepares it for the following skincare steps as I noticed it reduces significantly any tightness or/and redness I get after cleansing my face.

Missha Aqua Peptide Custom Skin Care Toner is certainly a toner worth checking out. It’s very hydrating in a non-sticky way (as opposed to many toners that contain alcohol and leave the skin feeling very dry), it does what it’s supposed to do (balances and prepares the skin for the next skincare steps), it’s beneficial for the skin (with all those skin enhancing ingredients discussed above) and it’s largely safe for the skin.

Would I repurchase? Certainly. As for now, though, I won’t- I bought it in February this year and I still have half of a bottle left despite using it very generously every day. :O So one more pro- if you want a toner that lasts ages, this one will be your friend for a looong time.

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